Workout of the Day
Productive Application Of Force
CrossFit defines "strength" as "the productive application of force." A simple way I like to think of this is that true strength is useful strength. What good is it to have raw strength that one cannot apply in various life (or even sport) situations? What's the point of being the fastest person on the football field if you can never get open or catch the ball? If you're a longtime Raiders fan then please don't answer the latter question - you have it hard enough as it is without me bringing up old wounds.
From the CrossFit journal in 2008:
Strength, as an isolated quality, can be defined and measured as the biological contractile potential of muscle--as how hard your muscles can contract to apply force. But from our perspective, Coach Glassman explains in this lecture excerpt, that is an incomplete definition and an isolated measure that doesn't really reveal much about its application to real-world functionality (just as VO2 max measurements alone tell us little about a person's capacity and athleticism).
True, useful strength is not merely the muscles' ability to generate force but a body's ability to productively apply that force.
The missing link in so much mainstream fitness programming, from bodybuilding to monostructural endeavors, is the neuromuscular piece--in particular, the development of coordination, accuracy, agility, and balance. We can sum these elements up as "technique." Omitting them from one's training necessarily results in only partial fitness, partial expression of one's genetic potential, and a decreased threshold of maximal capacity. To increase work capacity across broad time and modal domains (the goal of CrossFit), technique is the crucial connection--whether your goal is to win the game, protect your life, complete the mission, or just be fit for the demands of everyday life at any age.
-"Productive Application of Force"
Now that many of you have a bunch of newfangled raw strength courtesy of the last eight weeks, we're going to spend the next couple of months applying it in various ways to effect positive changes in your overall fitness. Part of that application will be an increase in the frequency of the Olympic-style lifts and related variations of those lifts. This will build upon the raw strength foundation you've laid by expanding many of the other general physical skills that CrossFit, weightlifting, and life requires - balance, coordination, speed, power, agility, flexibility, and accuracy. And obviously, we're going to keep you breathing hard and lifting heavy things all the while (in order to maintain your new baseline level of strength while continuing to build cardio-respiratory endurance and stamina).
So, here we go... Monday was an aggressive start, I'll admit it. But sometimes it's like removing a Band-Aid - you just have to do it and get it over with (or in this case get it started). Tuesday should continue to do the trick.
Enjoy!
WOD for 06-07-16:
Squat Snatch + 2 Overhead Squats:
5 Sets of (1+2)
Climbing
-then-
Three 4-Minute Cycles For Max Reps:
600m Run
15-12-9 Overhead Squats @ 135/95 lbs (no rack)
Max Reps Lateral Bar Burpees
Rest 2 minutes between cycles. Overhead Squat reps decrease by 3 every cycle. Score is total number of lateral bar burpees completed.
Motivation Monday: Beginners
Not a member at Arena Ready but considering attending our free on-boarding series starting this Saturday, June 11th? What's holding you back?
You don't have to be great to start. But you have to start to be great.
WOD for 06-06-16:
Row:
2 Minutes for Max Calories
(Compare to 09-28-15)
-then-
AMRAP 12 Minutes:
10 Shoulder-to-Overhead @ 135/95 lbs
10 Toes-to-Bar
30 Double Unders
(Compare to 09-28-15)
PR City
I think it worked.
We counted nearly 50 total back squat PRs on Friday's 1RM test day, with literally over 90% of the folks who came in hitting a lifetime best. Special shout out to Bex and Mike S. for hitting the "double body weight back squat" milestone, which is a heck of an accomplishment. We had nine women in the 200+ club, eighteen men in the 300+ club, and two gentlemen (Travis & Jeff G.) joined Tony in the 400+ club (with a handful in the 365-395 zone). With a few athletes a week or two behind on the program we expect to add some more impressive numbers to the long list. GREAT WORK EVERYONE!
As a counterbalance to the heavy max squat day we're going to utilize some light-moderate hinging movement on Saturday. Not to worry, we'll get a bit of a Sweaty Saturday WOD in there too...
Tempo lifting may be a new concept to some, and since we'll be using tempo deadlifts in Saturday's class here's some basic info on the practice courtesy of a blog post excerpt from the good folks at Invictus:
Tempo prescriptions come in a series of four numbers representing the times in which it should take to complete four stages of the lift. In a workout, the tempo prescription will follow the assigned number of reps, such as:
Front Squat x 2-3 reps @ 30X0
The First Number – The first number refers to the lowering (eccentric) phase of the lift. Using our front squat example, the 3 will represent the amount of time (in seconds) that it should take you to descend to the bottom of the squat. (The first number always refers to the lowering/eccentric phase, even if the movement begins with the ascending/concentric phase, such as in a pull-up.)
The Second Number – The second number refers to the amount of time spent in the bottom position of the lift – the point in which the lift transitions from lowering to ascending. In our front squat example, the prescribed 0 means that the athlete should reach the bottom position and immediately begin their ascent. If, however, the prescription was 32X0, the athlete would be expected to pause for 2 seconds at the bottom position.
The Third Number – The third number refers to ascending (concentric) phase of the lift – the amount of time it takes you to get to the top of the lift. Yes, I am aware that X is not a number. The X signifies that the athlete should EXPLODE the weight up as quickly as possible. In many cases, this will not be very fast, but it is the intent that counts – try to accelerate the weight as fast as you can. If the third number is a 2, it should take the athlete 2 seconds to get the lift to the top regardless of whether they are capable of moving it faster.
The Fourth Number – The fourth number refers to how long you should pause at the top of the lift. Take, for example, a weighted pull-up prescription of 20X2, the athlete would be expected to hold his or her chin over the bar for two seconds before beginning to come down.
Counting – It seems silly to even mention how to count seconds, but I have heard many clients audibly count to 4 in less than one second while under a heavy load. So, to ensure that your 4 second count and mine are the same, use “one thousands,” as in: 1-one thousand, 2-one thousand, 3-one thousand, 4-one thousand.
To read the entire post on tempo training from Invictus click here - it's a good one and talks about the benefits of the practice, so give it a quick read if you have a few minutes.
WOD for 06-04-16:
Tempo Deadlift:
3-3-3-3-3 @ 30X0
For Quality, Climbing to a Moderate Top Set (NOT Max)
-then-
With a Partner, For Time:
800m Run TOGETHER
42 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs
42 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
600m Run TOGETHER
30 Deadlifts
30 Box Jumps
400m Run TOGETHER
18 Deadlifts
18 Box Jumps
Partners run TOGETHER and then SPLIT the deadlift and box jump reps in any fashion (with only one person working at a time). Deadlifts cannot start until both partners have completed the run.
Back Squat 1RM Friday + Therapeutic Yoga Back in Action on Monday, June 6th!
Therapeutic Yoga
After a break for the Memorial Day holiday, our Monday evening Therapeutic Yoga class is back on for this coming Monday, June 6th at 7:00pm. Check out the background info below from Dani for what to expect in class. We had a great group of athletes at the first class a couple of weeks ago, all of whom gave some very positive feedback - so get on it and take advantage of this on-going class that is FREE for Arena Ready members (sign-up as you would for any other class)!
Therapeutic yoga is probably very different from what most people think of when they think of yoga. Not quite restorative, definitely not vinyasa, you can expect some stability work, standing poses, twists, and a whole lot of laying on the floor connecting to a deeper breath. I teach a slow practice, and will encourage a mind - body connection by asking you to pay attention to the more subtle aspects of the body (breath, skin, muscles, bones).
Moving in this slower way helps reveal both strengths and weaknesses you might not be able to connect with during more intense workouts. This awareness translates to every other area of life, including kicking ass in the gym. I'm a stickler for alignment, and as someone who injured myself practicing a more popular yoga style it is important to me that people practice yoga in a safe way. I play fun music, I don't chant, and I promise I'll leave your chakras alone. Besides, where else in your life to you get express permission and encouragement to slow down, breathe, and CTFO (chill the f*ck out) for an hour?
FINALLY: I often hear people say they can't do yoga because they're not flexible. Frankly, that's like saying someone shouldn't do CrossFit because they can't do a muscle up :) All bodies are welcome and this is appropriate/accessible for everyone at AR.
Back Squat 1RM Friday
Here we go! The culmination of 8 weeks of targeted back squat training is upon us! If you've made all 15 of the previous back squat sessions, used accurate calculations on your loading, consistently made your sets and reps, and worked out a couple of times at AR since doing "Murph" (i.e. didn't sit around all week getting stiffer and tighter by the minute), then chances are you have earned the right to attempt some new PR weights on Friday.
A few words of advice, if I may:
1) Confidence is key. If you did all the things I listed in the paragraph above then you're physically ready for a new 1RM, no question. But testing is different from training, and sometimes the numbers can get into an athlete's head. Remember that your technique and training got you here, and that you've been under heavy weights for a while now - so trust the training, and be confident in your strength. If you're mentally ready to make a new max, then your body can express what it's already physically capable of doing.
2) Don't be greedy. Warm-up much like you've done the last 3 weeks during the "intensity" phase of the program. Don't go changing things up too much or trying new stuff on game day. Once you're through those warm-ups take your old 1-rep max for a single and feel how easy that bullshit is now (I'm probably going to swear at you a little in the gym on Friday, so get over it and see #1 above about confidence). Then be smart about your jumps in weight thereafter - don't leave pounds on the table because you took too big of a jump. Expect that you'll have more than one shot at a new PR, and ask a coach if you want another opinion on what weight to take next.
3) Safety first. Getting pinned or pancaked is not an option. Use the safety bars/arms if needed, or get a spotter (or spotters) who knows how to spot and is strong enough to spot you - and remember that if you're being spotted KEEP STANDING UP NO MATTER WHAT.
Like I said at the beginning of this program I need new videos of badass PRs, so put those lucky shorts/pants/tank tops on and be ready to make some heavy weights. Meantime here's the same two videos I posted for motivation at the start of these 8 weeks - Squirrel squatting 235 (at 108 bodyweight) and Coach Sarah squatting 353 (at 165 bodyweight), both following a version of this same squat program:
WOD for 06-03-16:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) From 0:00 - 15:00
"Partner Baseline"
For Quality, Split Evenly With a Partner:
1000m Row
80 Air Squats
60 AbMat Sit-ups
40 Push-ups
20 Pull-ups
Partners split the reps evenly, with only one partner working at a time. This is FOR QUALITY not for time, so move with a purpose (i.e. don't lollygag or you won't be done by 15:00) but prioritize movement to prepare/warm the entire body for the back squats.
B) From 15:00 - 50:00
Back Squat (Week 8, Day 2):
Find Your New 1-Rep Max
(Compare to 11-24-15)
Throwback Thursday: Muscle-ups
#TBT to that awesome video Brian C. made in the Spring of 2015 of Open workout 15.3 at Arena Ready. Still one of my favorites of all time...
WOD for 06-02-16:
Muscle-up:
10 Minutes of Skills & Drills
-then-
3 Rounds for Time:
400m Run
7 Muscle-ups
14 Push Presses @ 115/80 lbs (no rack)
The $31 DIY Standing Desk Life Hack
Increase your ammunition against desk shoulders and office hips! You work so hard to reclaim your mobility so that you can get into good, safe positions that allow you to train in the gym - so make your workstation set-up something that helps you in your battle against bad posture, tight hips, and poor shoulder range-of-motion.
Is your company dragging their feet on the standing desk you've already asked for? Are you sick of the hoops you have to go through to get a proper desk set-up? Well, take matters into your own hands, spend $31 at IKEA, and take 20 minutes of elbow grease to get it done yourself - check out this link for materials needed and assembly instructions.
You back, hips, and shoulders will thank you later.
WOD for 06-01-16:
Every 90 Seconds for 7 Rounds:
2 Power Cleans
Climbing
-then-
AMRAP 7 Minutes:
5 Box Jumps @ 30/24 in
3 Power Cleans @ 225/155 lbs
(Compare to 08-27-15)
AR Does Murph at Home & Away
Thanks to all those who came in on Monday to do the hero WOD "Murph" together. It was also awesome to see some pics of Arena Ready folks doing "Murph" while away from home - here's Lisa G and Sarah D & Francesco making it happen during their travels. Nice work!
WOD for 05-31-16:
On a Running Clock...
A) From 0:00 - 12:00
3 Rounds for Quality:
200m Row (easy, medium, fast)
12 Good Mornings (pick load)
9 Kettlebell Swings (pick load)
6 KB Goblet Squats (pick load)
B) From 14:00 - 34:00
Back Squat (Week 8, Day 1):
6x2 @ 80%
Across
C) At 36:00
For Time:
80-60-40
Double Unders
40-30-20
AbMat Sit-ups
20-15-10
Kettlebell Swings @ 53/35 lbs
Memorial Day Murph
I saw this posted on Instagram (thank you @wolfgang2242) and really liked it:
This weekend is for remembering and loving those that have gone before us. It's also a great time to think of those that are with us now. These moments can be fleeting, it all changes, sometimes sooner than we would like. Enjoy those you are with, whether there are many or few. Cherish what is right now. It's the best way to love.
Thank you to all who have served our country, and to those who are serving right now.
Monday's WOD is a Memorial Day tradition for CrossFitters and CrossFit affiliates around the country, and around the world. Here's the brief background on who "Murph" is, and how the workout was conceived.
"Murph" is in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.
This workout was one of Mike's favorites and he'd named it "Body Armor". From here on it will be referred to as "Murph" in honor of the focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve this great country and the beautiful people who make it what it is.
- CrossFit.com (July 18, 2005)
WOD for 05-30-16:
"Murph"
For Time:
1 Mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Air Squats
1 Mile Run
Our recommendation is to partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and air squats as 20 rounds of "Cindy" (5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats repeated 20 times). If your PR is under 40 minutes, and you've been training consistently (4+ times per week) at the Rx/Black level, then wear a weight vest ("body armor") if you have one.
(Compare to 05-26-15 and 05-27-13)
Holiday Weekend Reminders
Two quick reminders for this weekend:
1) We are open on Monday for Memorial Day and will run a holiday schedule with classes at 8am, 9am, and 10am. As per CrossFit tradition we will join thousands of other CrossFitters and CrossFit affiliates around the country (and the world) in doing the hero WOD "Murph" - so please prepare accordingly if you plan on coming in on Monday (i.e. hydrate, get some good rest, don't try to do the workout hungover, etc.) as it's a tough one.
2) After the holiday we'll be cleaning out the weightlifting shoe closet (click here for the original post) so please claim what's yours and/or organize your stuff accordingly, lest it be left to our own judgement call in terms of what is to be donated and what should not be.
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend, all!
WOD for 05-28-16:
With a Partner For Time:
1000m Run TOGETHER
Then Split...
100 Calorie Row
100 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
100 Power Snatches @ 115/80 lbs
Only one partner working at a time. After the run share the reps in any fashion you like (the row cannot start until both partners have completed the run).
That Look
That look you give your judge when you touch-and-go 175 (click for the video link) and take the bar for a little walk. #SmileLikeSarah #CrossFitGames
Only three sessions left in our squat program and it's getting REAL around these parts. So Friday's programming is another little twist designed to keep you moving (while staying on task), get your entire body ready for the loading, and set you up for success. Enjoy!
WOD for 05-27-16:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK...
A) From 0:00 - 8:00
With a Partner FOR QUALITY:
Partner 1 - 500m Row
Partner 2 - 20 Wall Balls (pick load), 15 Burpees, 10 Pull-ups
Then Partners Switch.
B) From 8:00 - 13:00
Glute Activation + Hip & Ankle Mobility
C) From 13:00 - 43:00
Back Squat (Week 7, Day 2):
3x3 @ 95%
Across
D) From 43:00 - 50:00
With a Partner FOR TIME:
Partner 1 - 500m Row
Partner 2 - 20 Wall Balls (pick load), 15 Burpees, 10 Pull-ups
Then Partners Switch.
The team's time is recorded when the both partners have completed the row and 20-15-10 sequence.
Drakkar Noir, Laundry, and Gym Funk: Spring 2016 Edition
As promised earlier this week, and back by popular demand (AKA too many folks with smelly knee sleeves these days, thus many of you asking me to re-share this PSA), here you go... the annual post that fights the good fight.
Anyone who grew up around the same time I did knows the magic that is Drakkar Noir. It was Cool Water before there was Cool Water. And Polo Sport? Player, please. Back in the day few things let the ladies know you were so fresh and so clean like the little black bottle from our friends at Guy Laroche, Paris.
The distinctive smell of Drakkar Noir reminds me of school dances, "running man" battles in Guess overalls, and the hottest band of 1991: Color Me Badd.
What doesn't remind me of these happy times long gone is the smell of someone's nasty gym funk. You know what I'm talking about - that ominous, heavy, musty odor that can invade your workout space the way Karl The Fog swallows the 4th of July.
We realize that sometimes folks just don't notice that their shoes/socks/shirt/wrist wraps/body are getting a little gamey, and the occasional slip-up in slight stench can happen to all of us. Life is busy, we get it. But what I would like folks to remember is that repeated offenses of stank are uncool, distracting, and downright disrespectful to other members who share the gym space with you.
THE GOLDEN RULE IS: if you sense a slight funk anywhere on your person or property, then other people can sense it TEN-FOLD. Trust me on this. If you're in the corner thinking to yourself, "oh man, my hat smells a little nasty... I wonder if people can tell." Yes. Yes, they can. And yes, they know it's coming from you.
A few helpful tips may aid some folks who simply don't realize that the battle against gym funk can be won:
1) Launder your gym clothes prior to each use. This seems like a no brainer to some, but others may feel like it's excessive, and I can understand that point of view. But I'm here to ask that you please do it for the sake of others around you who have to breathe hard and stay focused in workouts, just like you do. Sweat and moisture breed bacteria, and bacteria is best friends with funk. And yes, compression tights/gear counts as "gym clothes."
2) Wash your wrist wraps, head wear, and other accessory gear regularly. If they're made of fabric then they're likely machine washable. If they're synthetic then a simple hand washing in the sink and thorough air dry should do the trick.
3) Let your weight belt and lifting shoes breathe. Allow them to dry out when you get home or before you stash them in your gym bag for the next day or two. If you place your shoes in our lifting shoe closet, consider getting a set of shoe fresheners to leave inside them - something like these (click here) which are cheap and convenient.
4) De-funk your knee sleeves regularly. Knee sleeves are a big culprit of gym funk. They're generally made of neoproene and the material is notorious for brewing up an offensive stink like no other. If you've tried tossing them in the washing machine for a standard launder then you probably know that it doesn't work that well. There are a couple of effective methods you can use to wash your knee sleeves, and here are some tips from our friends at CrossFit Invictus and CrossFit One World:
Get Rid of the Rehband Funk!!!
5) Take a shower prior to coming in to the gym. Another way of saying this is "take a shower in-between workouts." Obviously you don't have to shower immediately before coming in to work out, but if you're having a hard time remembering which day it was you showered last then I'm here to tell you "no, it's not a good idea to just wait until after your next workout." You're an adult and two showers in one day won't kill you. But one less than needed might kill the rest of us.
Please let us know if you have any questions, we are always happy to help - especially in matters of the nose. If you think you might be a frequent offender of funk I implore you to utilize the methods described above - you have one week to figure it out, and then I'll start calling you out. I may do it creatively and from a place of love, but I'll still be calling you out.
Menu Item #27 "Hot & Spicy Knee Sleeve Stew" (Photo courtesy of CrossFit OneWorld)
OK, now that we have all that sorted, back to dance-offs, Drakkar Noir, and moves that bring me back to the golden days. Maybe I should bring back my high fade, Cross Colours jeans, and gold hoop earring:
WOD for 05-26-16:
Behind The Neck Strict Press:
6-6-6
Climbing, For Quality
-then-
Split Jerk:
3-3-2-2-1-1
-then-
AMRAP 5 Minutes:
20 Overhead Walking Lunges w/Plate @ 45/35 lbs
200m Sprint
Holiday Schedule: Memorial Day (Monday, May 30th)
We will be open on Memorial Day (Monday, May 30th) running a holiday schedule with classes at 8am, 9am, and 10am. As we do every year, we will be joining other CrossFit affiliates and CrossFitters across the country in doing the traditional Memorial Day hero WOD, "Murph" - so plan accordingly and feel free to let us know of any questions.
Thanks for your attention!
WOD for 05-25-16:
For Time:
800m Run
40 Toes-to-Bar
40 Deadlifts @ 135/95 lbs
40 Handstand Push-ups
40 Hang Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs